Modular device for automatically dispensing and ejecting products stored in parallel longitudinal rows

ABSTRACT

A device ( 10 ) for automatically dispensing and ejecting products (B), includes at least one tray (P) having a series of channels (C), which are separated by a partition ( 34 ), stop elements ( 40 ) and a series of controlled ejection members, characterized in that each partition is a separation plate ( 34 ) which can occupy an active separation position and a retracted position so as to constitute a modular device ( 10 ) having an adjustable number of channels (C) of different transverse widths, and in that the device ( 10 ) includes elements which are able to supply signals representative of the presence of each separation plate ( 34 ) in the active position, these signals being able to be processed by a dispensing control unit associated with the device.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modular device for automaticallydispensing and ejecting products.

PRIOR ART

The invention relates more particularly to a device for automaticallydispensing and ejecting products, such as for example boxes ofmedicines, stored in parallel longitudinal rows, that comprises at leastone rack, or tray, comprising:

-   -   a series of transversely adjacent channels, or corridors, each        able to hold a row of products, all in the same plane as each        other, each separated from its neighbor or neighbors by a        longitudinal partition perpendicular to said plane, and each        having a flat base on which the products rest;    -   stop means at the forward longitudinal end of each channel        against which the forwardmost product in each row is retained by        longitudinal abutment;    -   and a series of controlled ejector means, of which each        corresponds to one channel and is able to act on said        forwardmost product in order to pass it vertically over said        stop means for its ejection from the channel.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this type that inparticular offers a very high level of modularity and in which thelayout, particularly the distribution and dimension of the channels, canbe modified very easily by its users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose the invention provides a device characterized in that:

-   -   each longitudinal intermediate partition is a separating plate        able to occupy an active position in which it separates two        adjacent channels and a retracted position so as to provide a        modular device comprising an adjustable number of channels of        differing transverse widths;    -   and in that the device comprises means, especially detection        means, capable of supplying signals representing the presence of        each separating plate in the active position which are        processable by a dispensing control unit connected to the        device.

Other features of the invention are as follows:

-   -   each intermediate partition is a detachable separating plate;    -   the device comprises means for the detachable fixing of the        separating plates to a base plate, particularly at a constant        transverse pitch;    -   each separating plate is mounted movably between a high active        separating position in which it projects vertically to separate        two adjacent channels and a low retracted position;    -   each separating plate is guided as it moves, generally parallel        to its plane, between its high active and low retracted        positions.    -   each separating plate is mounted generally so as to pivot, near        its rear longitudinal end about a pivot axis parallel to said        plane;    -   the device comprises motorized means for driving each separating        plate individually between its high active separating position        and its low retracted position;    -   each rack comprises a base plate that is common to all the        channels of this rack;    -   the device comprises a frame capable of taking multiple        superposed product dispensing and ejecting racks; and    -   the frame comprises means that enable two devices to be        superposed vertically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent onreading the following detailed description, for which the reader shouldrefer to the appended drawings illustrating, by way of non-restrictiveexample, a number of embodiments and variants of a device in accordancewith the teachings of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter front top perspective view of a firstembodiment of a device that is fitted, by way of example, with only itslower rack and an upper rack;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view, from another angle, of the deviceshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a three-quarter rear bottom perspective view of the deviceshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower base plate;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base plate of the upper rack;

FIG. 7 is perspective view illustrating the assembly of the base platewith its front printed circuit board, rear printed circuit board andbacking plate;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a front printed circuit board with itsflexible tongues;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a rear printed circuit board fitted withsome of its main components;

FIG. 10 is a detail view of a separating plate forming a separatingpartition;

FIG. 11 is a detail view illustrating a separating plate in the activeposition;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the top right-handarea of FIG. 1 showing only certain components;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to that of FIG. 12 showing the bottomright-hand area of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a view of the bottom right-hand area of FIG. 13, from anotherangle of view;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to that of FIG. 14 showing only certaincomponents;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an electromagnet with its movable rodextended in the working position;

FIG. 17 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of adevice;

FIG. 18 is a front view on an enlarged scale of the top area of thedevice shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of one of the modules fitted to the deviceshown in FIG. 17, this time illustrated without the adjacent separatingplate;

FIG. 20 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the front portion ofthe module seen in FIG. 19, this time shown fitted with a lateraladjacent separating plate;

FIG. 21A is a top view of the module shown in FIG. 19 with its centralejector plate and its electromagnet in the rest position;

FIG. 21B is a side view of FIG. 21A;

FIG. 21C is a view similar to that of FIG. 21B in which the centralplate is in the high ejection position;

FIG. 21D is a view similar to that of FIG. 21C showing the rest positionof the central plate when the electromagnet is not energized;

FIGS. 22A-22D are views similar to those of FIGS. 21A-21D which show avariant of the radial ejector levers;

FIGS. 23A-23C are views similar to those of FIGS. 21A-21C showing avariant of the control means of the ejector plate;

FIG. 23E is a view similar to that of FIG. 23C showing the central plateof the module in its highest position where it acts as a separatingplate; and

FIGS. 24A-24D are views similar to those of FIGS. 21A-21D showing avariant of the ejector means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following description, identical, similar or analogous componentswill be denoted by the same reference figures.

To assist with interpreting the description and the wording of theclaims, the terms “vertical”, “longitudinal”, and “transverse” will beused with reference to the three axes V, L, T indicated in the figures.

The forward direction is the direction of the L axis of the axis systemindicated in the figures.

Apart from certain motorized drive elements, the device 10 in the firstembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-16 exhibits a general symmetry ofdesign about a vertical longitudinal midplane PVL indicated in FIG. 3.

The device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a frame capable of acceptingmultiple racks P arranged one above the other for dispensing andejecting products, such as in this case boxes B of medicines.

The device comprises two vertical side plates 12 of longitudinalorientation which, to form the frame or structure, are connected to eachother partly by three coplanar transverse upper connecting bars 14 towhich the side plates are screwed, and partly, at the bottom, by a lowertransverse base plate 16 inf to which the side plates 12 are screwed.

Each side plate 12 is defined by a front vertical edge 18 and a rearvertical edge 20 and by a lower longitudinal edge 22 and a parallelupper longitudinal edge 24, the latter two edges being inclined to thehorizontal by an angle alpha (a).

The lower base plate 16 inf and the three upper connecting bars 14 alsoextend in parallel planes inclined by the angle alpha.

The lower base plate 16 inf comprises two longitudinal side lugs 26 towhich the side plates are screwed. The lugs 26 extend vertically downbeyond the lower edges 22 of the side plates 12 and each has threeindentations 28 that are open vertically downward and are set out at thesame longitudinal pitch as the three upper connecting bars 14.

This type of construction makes it possible to stack two devices 10vertically by engaging the connecting bars 14 of the lower device in theindentations 28 of the upper device, with the side lugs 26 of the lowerbase plate 16 inf of the upper device fitting transversely between theinner faces of the upper parts of the side plates 12 of the lowerdevice.

On its inner face 25, each side plate 12 can be provided with a seriesof vertically stacked parallel runners 30 inclined by the angle alpha. Apair of opposite side runners 30 of the same height, opposite eachother, are able to accommodate a base plate 16 of a rack P which, whenplaced in position in its two runners 30, is thereby oriented with theinclination alpha relative to the horizontal.

To this end, each base plate 16, other than the lower base plate 16 inf,is bounded by two longitudinal side edges 32 accommodated in the tworunners 30 of the corresponding pair.

The runners 30 may be permanently fitted to the side plates 12 or beremovable and put in position, in pairs, when it is wished to installbase plates 16 to create the corresponding racks.

For this purpose the side plates 12 have slots in which positioning andmounting pins on the runners 30 are received.

The upper face 17 of each base plate 16, 16 inf forms a plane which isinclined from the rear to the front by the angle alpha relative to thehorizontal and forms a flat base. A box B placed on the upper face 17 ofa base plate 16, 16 inf is therefore made to slide down by gravity fromthe rear to the front in the general longitudinal direction L.

In this embodiment, and in order to create a rack P forming a unitarysubassembly, each inclined base plate comprises a series of verticallongitudinal separating plates 34 which divide the space above the upperface 17 of the base plate into a series of inclined longitudinalchannels C or corridors, each of which can house a series of boxes insingle file arranged longitudinally and side by side and all ofapproximately the same transverse width. In particular, all the boxescontained in a given channel are identical and contain the samemedicine.

A separating plate 34 in place extends in a longitudinal vertical planeperpendicular to the inclined plane of the upper face 17 and forms apartition separating two adjacent channels C.

Each channel C is thus open vertically upward and is bounded by theopposing inner faces 35 of two consecutive separating plates and by thatportion of the upper face 17 which lies between these two plates 34.

In this embodiment each separating plate 34 is fixed removablydisconnectably to the base plate 16, 16 inf.

For this purpose each separating plate 34 comprises, in its lowerlongitudinal edge, a pair of L-shaped lugs 36 forming hooks in thevicinity of the front and rear longitudinal ends of the separating plate34. These lugs point forward and fit into a pair of slots 38 which arein longitudinal alignment and pass all the way through the thickness ofthe base plate.

Each base plate comprises a series of x (here x=33) pairs of slots 38which are aligned longitudinally in pairs and in the present case arespaced out transversely at a constant pitch “p”.

As is shown by way of example in FIG. 3, the upper base plate 16, likethe lower base plate 16 inf, is in the present case provided with onlyseventeen partitions 34 spaced out at regular intervals from the rightto the left at a constant pitch of “2p”, thus defining sixteen adjacentchannels C, fifteen of which are of the same width “l”.

This gives a modular design of each rack P of channels C for the storageand dispensing of boxes B, consisting of a base plate 16, 16 inf withits separating plates 34, with a variable number of channels C ofvariable widths “l” depending on the number of partitions 34 used and ontheir various transverse positions on the base plate.

To hold back the boxes B stored in the different channels C, each baseplate comprises a transverse front stop bar 40 which in the present caseis fixed and is higher than the upper face 17 of the base plate.

In this way, the forwardmost box in each row of boxes contained in achannel C abuts longitudinally forward and downward by gravity againstthe opposing portion of the stop bar 40, which extends transverselyacross the front open end of the corresponding channel. The stop bar 40is in this case formed integrally with the base plate 16, 16 inf fromcut and bent sheet metal.

In the vicinity of its front longitudinal end, the base plate comprises,in addition to the transverse front stop bar 40, a series of sixteenlongitudinal cutouts 42 which thus form windows whose function will beexplained below.

Each of the sixteen windows 42 also extends vertically almost as far upas the common transverse stop bar 40.

In the vicinity of its rear longitudinal end, the base plate alsocomprises a series of sixteen through holes 44 whose function will beexplained below.

Each common base plate 16, 16 inf is backed, on the underside, by aparallel backing plate 46 to which it is attached by means ofintermediate distance pieces so that an intermediate cavity 48 ofapproximately constant height is defined between these two plates 16 (16inf) and 46 of a rack P in order to house various components.

In the vicinity of its front end, the backing plate 46 comprises on itsupper face 47 a front printed circuit board 50 whose front free endsection is cut to divide it into sixteen parts forming frontlongitudinal tongues 52, each projecting longitudinally forward beyondthe front transverse edge of the backing plate, level with acorresponding window 42 in the base plate.

The dimensions and thickness of each tongue 52 of the front printedcircuit board 50 give each tongue 52 elastic deformability, particularlyin the upward direction, to make it a flexible tongue.

In this embodiment, each flexible tongue 52 carries on its upper face 53an activator which in this case consists of an electromagnet 54, theaxis of which is oriented longitudinally, and which comprises inparticular a longitudinal cylindrical coil body 56 and a movable core orrod 58 which projects longitudinally in the forward direction. The freeend section 60 of the movable rod 58 is able to occupy a forwardextended longitudinal position termed the working position, and arearward retracted longitudinal position termed the rest position. Therod 58 is returned to its rest position elastically.

The coil body 56 of the electromagnet 54 is housed in a casing 62 whoselongitudinal upper wall 64 defines a planar upper face 65 that isparallel to the plane of the upper face 53 of the flexible tongue 52 andthat, in the rest (undeformed) position of the flexible tongue 52, iswithdrawn slightly below the plane of the upper face 17 of the baseplate 16, 16 inf in such a way that it is not an obstacle in the channelC in question and thus allows the forwardmost box to reach thetransverse front stop 40.

When the coil of an electromagnet 54 is energized to extend the movablerod 58 longitudinally forward to its working position, at least its freefront end section 60 projects longitudinally forward beyond thetransverse stop 40, and beyond the front transverse end edge 55 of theflexible tongue 52 to which the electromagnet 54 is attached.

On its free front end section, each flexible tongue 52 also supports asensor unit 66 which, like the front section of the flexible tongue 52,is level with a window 42 in the base plate, set back from the commontransverse stop 40.

Each sensor unit 66 has as its first function the detection of thepresence of a box B in the forwardmost longitudinal position in abutmentagainst the stop 40, level with a window 42 and, in one possiblevariant, the extended front longitudinal working position of the section60 of the movable rod 58, or the rear longitudinal rest position of thissection when the coil 56 of the electromagnet 54 is not energized.

The position of the electromagnet 54 on the flexible tongue 52, therelative position of the latter with respect to a window 42 in the baseplate, and the total vertical dimension of the electromagnet 54 are suchthat, when the tongue 52 is in its unbent rest position, in which it isin the same plane as the front printed circuit board 50, the upper face65 of the casing 62 is vertically slightly below the upper face 17 ofthe base plate.

The dimensions of the electromagnet 54 are moreover such that it can“rise” vertically through the window 42 in such a way that the board 64with its upper face 65 projects vertically through the window 42 intothe corresponding channel C, particularly in order to act on the lowerface of a box B present in this channel and in abutment against the stop40.

In such a “raised” position of the electromagnet 54, the rear verticalplate 63 forms a stop to the next box which is arrested by this plateand temporarily cannot reach the stop 40.

Besides an electromagnet 54, the controlled ejector means for ejecting aforwardmost box contained in a channel C—in order to pass it verticallyover the common transverse stop 40 and so eject it from the channelC—comprise a transverse motorized drive bar 68 which is capable ofacting on the free end section 60 of each movable rod 58 of theelectromagnet 54 in the extended working position in order to bringabout a vertical and generally upward movement of this movable rod 58 asit lifts the section 60. Any upward vertical action on a rod 58 willcause a corresponding upward vertical movement of the entireelectromagnet 54 because of the flexibility of the flexible tongue 52supporting it.

In this embodiment each flexible tongue 52 acts as a movable ejectorplate that is generally parallel to the base plate supporting it andwhose upper face 53 is able to act, indirectly via the electromagnet 54in the present case, on the lower face of the forwardmost box situatedlevel with the upper face 65 and with the window 42.

The motorized transverse bar 68 is in this case common to all thechannels C of a given rack P, in other words is able to actsimultaneously on all the end sections 60 of the movable rods or members58 of the electromagnets 54 which are in the front longitudinal workingposition.

Each free end 72 of an ejector bar 68 is guided as it slides in agenerally vertical upward or downward movement in a slot 74 in a guidepiece 76 mounted for this purpose on the inner face 25 of a side plate12.

At rest, each bar 68 is pulled down vertically by gravity to the bottomend of a slot 74 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 12.

In order to move a drive bar 68 generally vertically upward, the devicecomprises in the present case, by way of example, two movable toothedslats 78, each mounted and guided so as to slide vertically upward onthe inner face 25 of a plate 12.

Each toothed slat 78 comprises a series of teeth 80 extendinglongitudinally rearward and each defining an upper face 82 for acting onthe free end section 72 of a drive bar 68 located above it.

In order to move the two toothed slats 78, notably vertically upward andsimultaneously, each slat 78 is connected, in a pivoting manner about atransverse pin 86, to an intermediate lever 88 driven by an eccentric 90that rotates, about a transverse axis 92, relative to the side partition12.

The two eccentrics 90, and therefore the two levers 88 and the twotoothed slats 78, are driven simultaneously in both directions by atransverse synchronizing plate 94 connected to both opposite eccentrics90. The plate 94 also operates as a motorized drive bar for the lowerrack formed by the plate 16 inf.

In order to turn the eccentrics 90, and hence drive the toothed slats 78vertically in both directions, the eccentrics 90 are driven by a belt 96which in turn is driven by a geared motor 98. These components aremounted on the outer side face 13 of the vertical plate 12 visible onthe right-hand side of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The motorized shaft (not shown) of the geared motor 98 is capable ofturning the wheel 100 acting on the belt 96, and simultaneously a rocker102 capable of acting on two diametrically opposite sensors 104 whichsense the angular position of the rocker 102 and hence that of theeccentrics.

When viewing FIGS. 12 and 13, the counterclockwise turning of theeccentrics 90 first causes a generally vertically upward movement of theintermediate levers 88, and hence of the toothed slats 78 which act viathe upper faces 82 of the teeth 80 on the drive bars 68 present in thedevice, and of which each one acts itself on all the sections 60 of theextended movable rods 58 in the working position of the correspondingrack P.

Rotation of the eccentrics 90 beyond this point then brings about avertical downward movement of the slats 78 and therefore allows theejector bars 68 to return by gravity to their rest position.

The construction described above thus offers a very high degree ofmodularity, both in the general construction of the device 10 which cancomprise up to fourteen stacked racks P, including the lowest rack madefrom the lowest base plate 16 inf, and by the construction of each rack,in which the number of channels C and the width of the differentchannels C can be varied.

The construction also makes it possible to bring about, in the course ofan ejection cycle, by means of a single geared motor 98, thesimultaneous ejection of all the desired products of which a“forwardmost” box is level with one or more electromagnets 54 which actas individual ejection actuators.

By way of a variant (which is not illustrated), in order to move the twotoothed slats 78, especially vertically upward and simultaneously, theassembly 90, 98 can be replaced by a central pneumatic or electricactuator acting directly on a transverse synchronizing plate 94 which,for this purpose, is mounted on the bottom ends of the toothed slats.

It will be observed that, for a corridor of “great” width “l”, anddepending on the weight of the box B to be ejected, it is possible toact simultaneously on the lower face of this box by means of the upperface 65 of several—for example two—adjacent electromagnets 54 whosemovable rods 58 are moved simultaneously to the extended workingposition.

Each electromagnet 54 is advantageously powered electrically only toextend its movable rod 58 and it does not work under load, or at anyrate with only a very small load in the sense that the ejection load ofsimply lifting the boxes is exerted and applied by the geared motor 98.

With this construction it is possible to make the actuators representedby the electromagnets 54 very small and weak so that not only is theircost and weight reduced but they also draw only very small currents fortheir control.

The modularity of each rack P can be combined, for the purposes ofcontrolling the dispensing and ejection of the products, with means, foreach rack P, for automatically “detecting” the presence of eachseparating plate 34 in the active or separating partition position, insuch a way as to produce and supply corresponding signals that can beprocessed by an electronic dispensing control unit (not shown) connectedto the device 10, or to several devices 10 assembled together.

In the first embodiment, in which each separating plate 34 is aremovable plate disconnectable between its active position, in which itseparates two adjacent channels C and a disconnected retracted position,said means for detecting and reporting the active position of a plateare in this case (to give a non-exhaustive example) electrical means.

For this purpose, the rear, non-split part of the front printed circuitboard 50 comprises, for each front slot 38, a conducting contact track(not shown in the figures) with which there engages the lower face of ahook 36 of a separating plate 34 when the latter is present.

The base plate 16, 16 inf may for example be insulating or insulated,and the plate 34 may for example be made of metal, its front hook 36 inelectrical contact with a grounded track.

At the rear, the backing plate 46 comprises a rear printed circuit board51 which has in particular on its upper face a series of x small elasticcontact detecting clamps 110, each connected to a conducting detectingtrack (not shown) belonging to the rear board 51.

Each detecting clamp 110 takes the rear hook 36 of a plate 34 when thelatter is present in the active position of a separating partition.

The metal plate 34 thus establishes electrical contact between thegrounded track of the front printed circuit board 50 and the clamp 110of the rear board 51.

Each separating plate 34 in the active position therefore connects theclamp 110 which receives it to electrical ground, thus giving rise to asignal denoting the presence of the plate 34 which is then transmittedand analyzed by the electronic control unit to which the rear printedcircuit board 51 is connected, particularly by means of connectors 112and associated wiring (not shown).

Similarly, the sensor units 66 of the front printed circuit board 50 areconnected to the electronic control unit in order to transmit signalsrepresenting the presence or absence of a box B in the forwardmostposition, and signals representing the ejection of this box as its lowerface leaves the sensor during its ejection.

The rear board 51 also comprises sensor units 114 positioned level withthe rear holes 44 in order to detect the insertion or positioning,through the open rear longitudinal end of a channel C, of each box intothis channel.

The signals thus formed by the sensors 114 can also be analyzed by thecentral electronic control unit to control the filling of the channels.

The central control unit may of course also be connected to the variousracks P belonging to one or more devices 10 linked up in a singledispensing system.

As a variant (not shown) of this first embodiment, the separating platesmay permanently be fitted on a rack on which they slide transversely tooccupy a predetermined active position of use. Unused plates are thenstored, stacked transversely side by side out of the way on one or bothsides of the rack.

As a variant (not shown), each rack may comprise means for propellingthe boxes longitudinally forward, such as belts or the like on which theboxes rest.

The second embodiment and its variants, illustrated in FIG. 17 onwardwill now be described.

In a known and traditional manner, the device 10 here comprises a framein the shape of a right-angled parallelepiped made of tubes connectedtogether at the eight corners or angles. The frame comprises, amongother things, two front vertical uprights 120 and two rear verticaluprights 122 which have the same function as the side plates 22, andbetween which there extend pairs of linked front 124 and rear 126horizontal crossmembers (not shown in detail), or alternatively inclinedplates forming shelves.

Each pair of crossmembers 124, 126, with the rear crossmember 126 higherthan the front crossmember 124, constitutes a supporting surface,inclined in the forward direction, on which a series of adjacentlongitudinal modules 130 rest to form a rack P.

Each module 130 shown in FIG. 19 is U-shaped in transverse section andcomprises a longitudinal lower plate 132 and two parallel and oppositevertical side wings 134. The side wings 134 are bounded vertically atthe top by their flat coplanar longitudinal upper edges 136 whichperform the same flat base function as the upper face 17 of the plates16 in the first embodiment, and on which the lower faces of the boxesrest.

All the modules are identical and all the upper edges 136 of each rack Pare thus coplanar and inclined to form surfaces that slope, from therear to the front, at the angle alpha relative to the horizontal. A boxB placed on at least two edges 136 is thus able to slide by gravity downtoward the front in the general longitudinal direction L.

As can be seen in FIGS. 17, 18 and 19, each side wing 134 can beprovided, along its outer side face 135, with a vertical longitudinalseparating plate 34.

Each separating plate is fixed removably disconnectably and extendsvertically above the plane of the upper edges 136.

Each module 130 may for example be able to accept a separating partition34 along the outer face 135 of its side wing seen on the right-hand sidewhen viewing for example FIGS. 18 and 20.

The separating plates 34 thus divide the space above the plane of theupper edges 136 into a series of inclined longitudinal channels C, orcorridors, each of which can house a series of longitudinally adjacentboxes in single file.

Depending on whether or not a module 130 is provided with a separatingside plate 34, a rack P can be created with adjacent corridors C ofdifferent transverse widths.

As in the first embodiment, the device is equipped with means (notshown) for showing whether or not a separating plate 34 is present, andfor supplying corresponding electrical signals processable by anelectronic dispensing control unit (not shown) connected to the device10, or to several devices 10 assembled together.

These means may be electrical, optical, magnetic or of any other type.

At its forward longitudinal end, each side wing 134 is provided with afixed vertical front stop bar 140 which is vertically above the plane ofthe upper edges 136 by a distance of for example approximately 15 mm.

The forwardmost box of each row of boxes contained in one channel C thusbears longitudinally, forward and downward, by gravity, against theirportions of the stop bars 140 that extend vertically across the frontopen end of the corresponding channel C.

Each module 130 comprises a movable ejector plate 142 which is avertical central plate parallel to the side wings, and which is mountedin such a way as to pivot, in the vicinity of its rear longitudinal end141, about a horizontal pivot axis 139 running transversely between thetwo side wings 134.

The front longitudinal end of the upper edge 144 includes a raisedportion 146 with a vertical rear end 148 forming a rearward-facing stop,the function of which will be explained later.

In its lowered rest position (FIG. 21B), the upper edge 144 of theejector plate 142 is positioned below, or at the most in the same planeas, the coplanar upper edges 136.

In its raised ejection position (FIG. 21C), at least the upperhorizontal edge 150 of the raised portion 146 is vertically higher thanthe plane of the edges 136 and able to act on the lower face of a box Bwhich is present in the channel and resting against the stops 140.

Each ejector plate 142 has in the vicinity of its front longitudinal endan actuator which in this case again is an electromagnet 54, the axis ofwhich is oriented longitudinally, and which comprises among other thingsa longitudinal cylindrical coil body 56 and a movable core or rod 58extending forward longitudinally. The free end section 60 of the rod 58can be extended longitudinally forward in the working position, orretracted longitudinally rearward in the rest position.

As the figures show, when the coil of an electromagnet 54 is energizedso that the movable rod 58 is extended longitudinally forward into itsworking position, at least its free front end section 60 projectslongitudinally forward beyond the vertical front end edge 143 of theejector plate 142 on which the electromagnet 54 is mounted.

The dimensions of the electromagnet 54 are such that it can “rise”vertically between the side wings 134. In such a “raised” position ofthe electromagnet 54, the vertical rear end 148 acts as a stop for thenext box which is arrested by this stop and is temporarily unable toreach the fixed stops 140.

Besides an electromagnet 54, the controlled ejector means ejecting aforwardmost box contained in a channel C—in order to pass it verticallyover the transverse stops 140 and eject it from a channel C—comprise atransverse motorized drive bar 152 designed to act on the free endsection 60 of each movable rod 58 of each electromagnet 54 in theextended or working position to bring about a vertical generally upwardmovement of this movable rod 58.

The motorized bar 152 is a transverse drive bar rotated about its axis(by an ejection control motor not shown in the figures) between anangular rest position and an angular working position, and carries aseries of radial levers 154 coupled rotationally to the drive bar 152 insuch a way that each corresponds to one module and is able to act on themovable member in the working position.

The bar 152 and the radial levers 154 can be turned in either directionthrough an angular stroke of a little over 90 degrees, between a restposition, in which all levers are vertical (FIGS. 19, 20 and 21B) andact as tall vertical stops, and a roughly horizontal active ejectionposition.

It is of course possible to provide means (not shown) for turning allthe bars 152 of the individual racks P simultaneously.

By its very construction as shown in the figures, each component 154 notonly acts as a radial ejector lever but also as a retractable additionalstop for retaining the forwardmost box when this component is in thevertical rest position shown for example in FIGS. 20 and 21B.

For this purpose, each radial lever has a lower ejector arm 154 idesigned to act on the free end section 60, and therefore indirectly onthe lower face of the box, and an upper arm 154 s acting as aretractable stop that is longer than the lower arm 154 i.

The height of this arm 154 s which acts as a retractable stop may forexample be an additional 10-15 mm or so above the fixed stops 140. Thisgives a series of tall stops 154 s offering very secure retention of theforwardmost boxes without increasing the total functional height of arack P, since in order to eject the forwardmost box the stop 154 s isretracted and then the box only has to pass over the fixed stops 140.

The stops 154 s are particularly important for retaining the forwardmostboxes during filling of the corridors C, when these boxes arrive withconsiderable kinetic energy against the retaining stops.

In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 22A-22D, one face 155 of each radiallever 154 is made in the form of a convex rounded cam profile and it istherefore no longer necessary to reverse the direction of rotation ofthe drive bar to move from the ejection position to the rest position,since the cam levers 154-155 rotate clockwise when viewing the figures.

In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 23A-23C and 23E, the ejector plate142 is hinged at its rear end by a rear lever 156 on which it can pivotand slide and is driven individually by an electric motor 158 mounted inthe vicinity of the front longitudinal end of the plate 142 with itsthreaded output shaft 160, which is of longitudinal orientation, screwedinto a nut 162, with which it forms a screw-and-nut system.

The nut 162 is attached to a forward hinged lever 164. The rotation ofthe motor 158 in either direction causes the separating plate 142 toeither rise or descend.

It is of course possible to simultaneously control all the motorscorresponding to those channels C from which products are to be ejected.

As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 23C and 23E, in the raised ejectionposition, only the front upper part of the ejector plate 142 projectsvertically above the upper edges 136, whereas, because of the designwith the rear 156 and front 164 levers, the whole ejector plate 142 canbe moved generally upward so that it acts as a separating plate in thisextreme raised position where it remains “locked” by the screw-and-nutsystem 160-162, even when the electric motor 158 is stopped.

With such a module 130 it is therefore possible to dispense with theoptional separating side plates 34 described earlier and instead to usetheir central movable plates 142 which then function as controlledmovable separating plates, each driven by individual motorized drivemeans consisting of the motor 158, between its active raised andretracted lowered positions.

One module 130 can thus be a module used for its “separator” function orfor its “ejector” function.

The electrical operation of a motor 158 reveals whether the centralplate 142 is in the raised separating position and so provides a signalrepresenting this position.

In a variant which is not illustrated, the upward movement of a plate142 is combined with a transverse movement of this plate, generallyparallel to its plane, this combination of movements being obtained byplate guide ramps on the U-shaped module 130.

In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 24A-24C, the module 130 has nocentral ejector plate, and each module has an electromagnet 54 mountedrotatably on the common drive bar 152.

At rest, each electromagnet is horizontal with its rod 58 withdrawn. Thelatter can project toward the rear so that its free end section extendsbelow the lower face of the forwardmost box standing above the module130. When the rod is extended, clockwise rotation causes the free endsection 60 to lift the box over the fixed vertical stops 140 thereto.

Other variants are possible, though not illustrated. Each separating“partition” between two adjacent channels can take the form of one ormore stretched wires in place of an actual separating plate.

Each electromagnet can be replaced by, for example, an actuator ofequivalent function such as a single-acting or double-acting pneumaticor hydraulic cylinder, or by an actuator based on a shape-memory wire.

1. A device (10) for automatically dispensing and ejecting products (B)stored in parallel longitudinal rows, that comprises at least one rack(P) comprising: a series of transversely adjacent channels (C), eachable to hold a row of products, all in the same plane as each other,each separated from its neighbor or neighbors by a longitudinalpartition perpendicular to said plane, and each having a flat base (17,136) on which the products rest; stop means (40) at the forwardlongitudinal end of each channel (C), against which the forwardmostproduct in each row is retained by longitudinal abutment; and a seriesof controlled ejector means, of which each corresponds to one channel(C) and is able to act on said forwardmost product in order to pass itvertically over said stop means (40) for its ejection from the channel;which device is characterized in that: each longitudinal intermediatepartition is a separating plate (34, 142) able to occupy an activeposition in which it separates two adjacent channels and a retractedposition so as to provide a modular device (10) comprising an adjustablenumber of channels (C) of differing transverse widths (l); and in thatthe device (10) comprises means capable of supplying signalsrepresenting the presence of each separating plate (34, 142) in theactive position which are processable by a dispensing control unitconnected to the device.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that each intermediate partition is a detachableseparating plate (34).
 3. The device as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that it comprises means (36, 38) for the detachablefixing of the separating plates (34) to a base plate (16), particularlyat a constant transverse pitch (p).
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that each separating plate (142) is mounted movablybetween a high active separating position in which it projectsvertically to separate two adjacent channels and a low retractedposition.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in thateach separating plate (142) is guided as it moves, generally parallel toits plane, between its high active and low retracted positions.
 6. Thedevice as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that each separatingplate (142) is mounted generally so as to pivot, near its rearlongitudinal end about a pivot axis parallel to said plane.
 7. Thedevice as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it comprisesmotorized means for driving each separating plate individually betweenits high active position and its low retracted position.
 8. The deviceas claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each rack (P) comprises abase plate (16) that is common to all the channels (C) of this rack. 9.The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises aframe capable of taking multiple superposed product dispensing andejecting racks (P).
 10. The device as claimed in claim 9, characterizedin that the frame comprises means that enable two devices (10) to besuperposed vertically.
 11. The device as claimed in claim 5,characterized in that it comprises motorized means for driving eachseparating plate individually between its high active position and itslow retracted position.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 6,characterized in that it comprises motorized means for driving eachseparating plate individually between its high active position and itslow retracted position.
 13. The device as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that it comprises a frame capable of taking multiplesuperposed product dispensing and ejecting racks (P).
 14. The device asclaimed in claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a frame capableof taking multiple superposed product dispensing and ejecting racks (P).